Best Place to Work: 84 Lumber
Maggie Hardy Knox is president and owner of 84 Lumber. Courtesy of 84 Lumber.
The entrance to 84 Lumber corporate headquarters in Eighty Four. Observer-Reporter
Founded in 1956 and headquartered in Eighty Four, 84 Lumber Company is the nation’s largest privately held supplier of building materials, manufactured components and industry-leading services for single- and multi-family residences and commercial buildings.
The company operates over 250 stores, component manufacturing plants, custom door shops, custom millwork shops and engineered wood product centers in over 30 states, said Ashley Cyprowski, marketing manager.
She said 84 Lumber also offers turnkey installation services for various products, including framing, insulation, siding, windows, roofing, decking and drywall.
A certified national women’s business enterprise owned by Maggie Hardy Knox, 84 Lumber has held a spot on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing companies for several years in a row.
“Maggie Hardy-Knox is a super-driven individual,” Cyprowski said. “She is a super-giving person who is really involved in the community. Having her as our leader really keeps people around and motivated.”
84 Lumber was recently named the best place to work by the Observer-Reporter’s Best of the Best.
“We definitely thought it was a great honor to be recognized with all the businesses in the area,” Cyprowski said.
84 Lumber established its roots in 1956 when founder Joe Hardy- in conjunction with his two brothers, Norman and Bob Hardy, and family friends Ed Ryan and Jack Kunkle – together purchased land and buildings for a new “cash and carry” lumberyard.
Customers paid by cash or check. If merchandise could not be carried out, an additional charge was implemented to deliver the item. This model was beneficial for many years, as the company never accrued substantial debts and assets kept flowing.
Hardy and his brothers became sole owners of 84 Lumber as the company entered a new phase of expansion in the 1960s. The growth was largely accomplished by keeping overhead low and adopting a “no frills” warehouse-style approach to most stores.
During the 1970s, 84 Lumber continued its expansion by opening 229 stores.
Growth continued through the 1980s. In 1984, the company began remodeling and renovating stores, evolving from “no frills” lumberyards to new and improved building material stores. As the improvement plan generated success, the company relaxed its strict “cash and carry” policy and introduced credit options in 1987.
In 1991, 84 Lumber was named at the top of ProSales’ “Dealer 100” list, an annual ranking of the country’s building material suppliers by revenue.
In 1992, Joe Hardy appointed his daughter as president and owner of 84 Lumber.
84 Lumber continued to expand under Hardy-Knox, reaching $1 billion in sales for the first time in 1993 and opening its 400th store in 1997 in Ephrata, Pennsylvania.
In 1999, the company opened its first “84 Plus” retail store in Graysville, Tenn. The store carried about 12,000 products compared to 3,000 or 4,000 in a traditional 84 Lumber. It was divided into shopping sections targeted to professionals and retail shoppers.
In 2002, the company reached $2 billion in sales for the first time and continued its impressive sales growth throughout the early 2000s. However, when the housing market crashed later that decade, 84 Lumber – like most organizations associated with the construction industry – suffered significant losses. Difficult decisions were made to save the company, and efforts to avoid bankruptcy were ultimately successful.
In 2013, 84 Lumber increased sales by 27 percent over the prior year, generating $2.1 billion in revenue.
In 2017, the company opened several new locations across the country, including Ruskin, Florida; Holbrook, Massachusetts; and Riverhead, New York.
That year, Hardy-Knox decided to expand 84 Lumber’s technological efforts by hiring its first chief information officer, Paul Yater.
Under Yater’s leadership, the company is implementing a tech-focused growth strategy that will increase efficiencies and improve operations across the business.
In 2018, the company reached $3.86 billion in sales, its second-highest annual revenue ever.
“We have had pretty large growth over the last 10 or so years,” Cyprowski said.
Cyprowski said 84 Lumber is a military-friendly employer and believes in recruiting men and women who have served in the military.
“We think it is a great opportunity for veterans coming into civilian life,” he said.
Cyprowski said 84 Lumber offers a great work culture and the opportunity for career advancement.
“It is a great work culture,” she said. “It is definitely a family atmosphere and culture throughout all of our stores. We pride ourselves on the fact that we can move our associates up the ladder. We hire almost 100 percent from within, especially at the store level. Our associates have the chance to advance their careers.”
For more information, visit 84Lumber.com